Snare drums when played produce a particular crisp buzzing sound that is unique to the snare drum. This complex rattle sound is created when strands of wire or some other like material is held just touching the vibrating head of the drum. Precise placement of these snare strands at the right tightness is crucial in attaining and maintaining the desired sound of the drum. The tension of the strands has an effect on their frequency response and reactionary amplitude. The proximity to the head regulates ability of the strands to react to stimulus from the head.
Typical mechanisms have two adjustments, one to stretch or tension the strands and one to place the strands at point that they receive maximum stimulation from the vibrating head. The tension adjustments tend to be an arrangement where there exists some form of screw jack mechanism located and attached to two towers that have the snare strands attached through an intermediary bracket.
In the snare drums used for marching bands where the snare mechanism is located internal to the drum body under the batter head the snare strands can be metal wire. These metal wire strands can take up to ten pounds of force each to yield and the accumulative force on the mechanism can be quite high especially when there are forty wire snares available in the aftermarket. This high force can place a deflection force on the connecting beam that supports the snare carriers in relationship to each other that is sufficient to deform this connecting beam.
Deformation of the beam has a negative effect on the parallel relationship of the two carriers where the snares are attached. Any reinforcement of current designs also becomes an issue as the instrument is carried by the player sometimes for extended periods of time and therefore weight and certainly any addition of weight would be of major concern.
The height or proximity adjustment of the snare strands in relationship to the head is mechanisms that typically move the entire end of the snare attachment point vertically in relationship to the head. In order for these height adjustments to move there is a requirement for a certain amount of clearance between the components in order to allow free movement. This clearance manifests itself as another negative effect on the parallel of the snare carrier towers as the tension on the strands pulls the towers toward each other at their highest point of leverage.
The problem is that any lack of parallel of the snare towers or carriers has an effect on the precision of the tuning of the drum as the ends of the snare strands are where the adjustments are applied and any lean on the towers tends to allow the center of the stands to sag. To combat the sag in the snare strands a higher tension in the strands is required, which then has an effect on the flexibility of the strands.
Any bowing of the mechanism will not allow consistent contact of the snare strands to the head. There can be cases where the solder (or equivalent) used to fasten the strands to the holding bracket can be slightly protruding above the level of the strands and if the strands are bowing away from the head the solder contacts the head at a level below where the strands do and therefore full even contact of the snares to the head is not possible. Another circumstance of effect can be if the snare bracket relies on its shape and dimensions to provide retention to the carriers any bowing in the system can then be applied directly to the strands of the snare.
The foregoing phenomena is illustrated in FIG. 1, which shows a prior art snare drum mechanism.